Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Without removing her hands from Shiroyasha's breasts, Queen Halloween asked, "Ara? Why so hostile? We're all friends here, right~?"

Instead of answering Queen's words, Vahn looked to Shiroyasha to see what she had to say on the matter. In response, she just exhaled a tired sigh, explaining, "Technically speaking, she has the right to touch and caress me, so long as it's in private. I'd rather not get into the specifics..."

Amused by Shiroyasha's response, Queen gave her a firm hug and mused, "Is there any reason to keep it a secret? With his power, the Sage Dragon Emperor can surely uncover the truth, no~?"

Shaking her head, Shiroyasha stared directly at Vahn as she said, "No, he isn't the type to probe into a woman's past. Not without a good reason, at least..."

"Hmmm..."

Moving her hands from Shiroyasha's breasts to her belly, Queen directed her heterochromatic green and blue eyes at Vahn, remarking, "That would explain his actions since arriving in the Little Garden. It doesn't, however, explain your reasons for summoning him. The plan Canaria drafted wasn't without flaws, but it's the closest thing we had to a guaranteed resolution. Placing your trust in someone else after everything we've sacrificed...just what were you thinking?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Shiroyasha replied, "There's no such thing as a guaranteed resolution. As for what I was thinking? Well, I saw the power Vahn possessed and determined he would be able to achieve comparable results without the need for so many sacrifices. Looking at the conditions specified by the Central Network in his Last Embryo setting, it's apparent I'm not the only one that came to that conclusion."

Understanding who Shiroyasha was alluding to, Queen softly muttered, "Laplace..." before blinking back to awareness, meeting Vahn's gaze, and asking, "How long do you intend to continue standing there? Please, take a seat."

"..."

Though he was tempted to retort, Vahn ultimately sat across from Queen and Shiroyasha after exchanging glances with Scathach. She smiled back at him, but he could tell she was prepared to leap into action the moment things escalated. Not that it would make much of a difference...

After taking his seat, Vahn attempted to justify Shiroyasha's actions, stating, "Even if Shiroyasha hadn't summoned me, I would have found my way into the Little Garden. Seizing the initiative to invite me was probably the best decision she could have made."

Instead of refuting Vahn's words, Queen replied, "I agree. Had you been allowed to act and roam freely, I imagine many more Communities would have fallen before you reached this point."

Squeezing Shiroyasha's body, Queen's eyes glistened with a mischievous light as she appended, "What bothers me is that I wasn't consulted on the matter. Though I can't imagine my chagrin in anywhere near as developed as Indra's, having someone I treasure taken away from me is more than a little...shall we say, vexing?"

In an effort to prevent misunderstandings, Shiroyasha followed Queen's words by declaring, "This she-devil has always had an obsession with the Sun. Back when I first entered the Little Garden, she used to stal-"

Narrowing her eyes, Queen brought her lips to Shiroyasha's pointed ear and whispered, "Now, now, Shiroyasha. We're not here to talk about the past, are we? If so, I have quite a few stories to share..."

After an involuntary shudder, Shiroyasha promptly decided to change topics, asking, "So, what now? I know it's only been a few hours since our last discussion, but I imagine things have changed rather drastically since your designation as a Last Embryo."

Shaking his head, Vahn answered, "Not really. If anything, this just makes things more clear-cut. Previously, I had to put on airs and worry about the people around me being targeted. Now, until I'm dealt with, my would-be enemies have no choice but to focus their efforts on me."

Inserting herself into the conversation, Queen remarked, "That's one of the things that surprised me. While it is common for the Central Network to pit the entire Little Garden against a Last Embryo, this is the first time Laplace has shown such...favoritism. If I didn't know better, I would say she is conspiring with you to ensure everyone becomes an affiliate of the Aldrnari Empire. I can easily imagine weaker Communities flocking to join you en masse, either for protection or to avoid the conflict entirely."

Piggybacking off Queen's words, Shiroyasha asked, "Speaking of which, you should probably prepare a battlefield of some sort. The Restrictions state that those affiliated with you can't be targeted, but there is such a thing as collateral damage. So long as they can confirm you're inside, an assailant could, theoretically, drop a bomb on the Sage Dragon's Hearth without violating the restrictions."

Furrowing his brows, Vahn noted, "That's a pretty massive loophole..."

Shrugging her shoulders, Shiroyasha replied, "Well, you have just been designated as a Last Embryo. From the perspective of those who don't know you well, you are a threat to all of Creation. With stakes like that, a lot of people are going to be aiming for your head."

Nodding her head in approval, Queen added, "There is another matter you must consider. The Restrictions make no mention of infighting. You'll need to be cautious of people infiltrating the Communities that wish to join the Empire. A number of Demon Lords possess Gifts that let them inhabit the hearts and minds of others. Many others can circumvent the Restrictions of the Game by instigating their own. That is one of the principal benefits of becoming a Demon Lord."

Realizing things weren't nearly as clear cut as he initially believed, Vahn slumped his shoulders and exhaled a sigh. Shiroyash and Queen hadn't really gone into it, but he also realized that his enemies could target him 'indirectly' by attacking Communities that had yet to join the Empire. He could easily deal with those responsible, but there was little he could do about the victims that would pile up out of spite...

Unable to contain herself, an amused smile blossomed across Queen's face as she mused, "My, did Shiro-chan really place her faith in such a wretched man~? You're the Sage Dragon Emperor, a being that garners fear and respect from even the greatest Gods. This outcome is the direct consequence of your actions. Don't expect us to console you when you're the one that set himself upon this path."

Raising his brows, Vahn gave Queen a somewhat incredulous look as he remarked, "I know you're a sadist, but give me a break...I never asked for any of this. I'm just doing what I can to reunite with my family..."

Adopting a slightly grim expression, Queen looked down at Shiroyasha and asked, "What's going on here? Has the Sage Dragon Emperor always been such a...despicable lot?"

Though she felt a little sorry for Vahn, Shiroyasha adopted a wry smile as she replied, "I know what you mean. Even I don't fully understand the reason behind his sentiments at times. Still, that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's proof that, despite all his power, he's still 'human' at the core of his being."

"Ah..."

Redirecting her gaze to Vahn, Queen did her best to view him through the lens of 'humanity.' In that regard, Vahn was actually rather commendable, as, more often than not, humans with power readily exploited it. Vahn was guilty of much the same, but he was at least aware of his position and the consequences of his actions.

Regaining her smile, Queen mused, "Now I understand. You're aiming for the top, not to rule, but to 'escape' the rule of others. You desire freedom but possess sufficient empathy to afford others the same right. In other words, letting you conquer the Little Garden is the same as freeing it from the control of machine-like beings who only care about Creation itself, not the form in which it takes. How utterly irresponsible~."

Imagining the conflict that would arise when Vahn invariably abdicated his position and abolished the current system, Queen Halloween couldn't help feeling excited. She absolutely abhorred war and slaughter, but the change such conflicts brought about was necessary for the development and survival of humanity. In other words, Vahn wasn't a true Last Embryo. If anything, his existence would allow them to transition into a new Order without needing to bring a finite end to the present reality...

Clapping her hands together, much to Shiroyasha's chagrin as they were right in front of her face, Queen added, "Very well, then~! I'm still a little annoyed that you derailed so many of my plans, but I accept Shiroyasha's decision to entrust the fate of the Little Garden to you. Feel free to make a mess of things. Ufufufufufufu~."

Before Vahn could respond, Shiroyasha interrupted, asking, "And what are you going to do? As someone possessing numerous Sun Authorities, your 'assistance' is necessary to achieve Vahn's goal."

"Hmmmm~?"

Tilting her head to the side, Queen stared at Vahn with a mischievous smile on her face, almost as if she were daring him to affirm Shiroyasha's words. When he didn't do so immediately, she questioned, "Is that really the case? So long as I don't conspire with others to rob you of your Sun Authorities, I doubt anyone will be able to stop him before he reaches the Gatekeeper. If he can't overcome that particular nuisance, I don't see any reason to join forces and risk jeopardizing my 'integrity' as a woman. Make no mistake; I am 'very' interested in the man who managed to conquer my Shiroyasha. However, it's not to the extent I'm willing to subject myself to his whims and desires."

As someone with a strict preference for women, Queen would never admit it, but she was actually afraid of Vahn. When Shiroyasha initially appeared in the Little Garden, she invested considerable time, effort, and resources into ensuring they had similar preferences. Queen couldn't have imagined Shiroyasha with a man before Vahn's arrival, so being in the same room as he made her more than a little nervous.

Without missing a beat, Vahn responded, "That's fine by me. It's not like I go out of my way to 'collect' women. I also don't really need your help, so I suppose this is the end of our discussion? You three have fun..."

Rising to his feet, Vahn was prepared to leave but found his path blocked by Scathach. She knew she had no hope of stopping him if push came to shove, but that didn't prevent her from adopting a professional smile as she placed her hand over her heart and said, "Please remain seated until my Mistress has finished speaking."

Raising his brows, Vahn was tempted to ask Scathach who she thought she, or, more specifically, her Mistress, was but promptly decided against it. He knew she wasn't intentionally trying to offend him, so he returned a smile and replied, "That depends." before turning around and asking, "Was there anything else...?"

Though she was a little annoyed by Vahn's sudden effort to leave, Queen maintained a calm and composed demeanor as she replied, "I would have liked to continue conversing for a while longer. However, if you have other places you need to be, I'll not keep you."

Understanding exactly why Vahn was in a hurry, Shiroyasha added, "Stop by once things have calmed down. As Floor Master, people will expect me to address the matter of your designation as a Last Embryo. We'll discuss the specifics when you return."

Nodding his head, Vahn offered a curt "Thanks." before turning around to face Scathach. Then, as a rather sizeable crowd had begun to gather near his palace, he adopted a squinty-eyed smile and disappeared into thin air.

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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'That privilege...','Few things are rarely as simple as they first appear...','Queen is afraid that her 10,000+ years of lesbianism is at risk xD...','